Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 103
S A M U E L– K I N G S
There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of
Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of
Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives,
Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to
the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord
at that time were the two sons of E
li—Hophni and Phinehas. On the
days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat
to P
eninnah and each of her children. And though he loved Hannah, he
would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given
her no children. So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her
because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it
was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tab
ernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not
even eat.
“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you
eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have
me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”
Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray.
Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the
Tabernacle. Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to
the Lord. And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you
will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then
I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as
a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. Seeing her lips moving
but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. “Must you come
here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything
stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to
the Lord. Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out
of great anguish and sorrow.”
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